Darius Butler helping T.J. Green transition to cornerback

When the Indianapolis Colts re-signed veteran defensive back Darius Butler, it was announced that he would be making the full-time switch from cornerback to safety. Through Week 1 of preseason games, T.J. Green will also move positions in the secondary, just in the opposite direction.

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For two consecutive practices, Green has been taking reps with the cornerback group and while it isn’t a guarantee that it sticks, this position switch is certainly an intriguing one.

The 2016 second-round pick has plenty to work on before being considered starting material as a cornerback but with a little help from Butler, the transition may be slightly easier.

“I’m making sure I’m communicating with him, but the faster T.J. can play the better player he is going to be and he [can] change the game for us when he is on the field,” Butler told reporters on Wednesday. “He can fly around and make plays on the ball and knock people out. So, I’m excited about that.”

Butler typically played nickel cornerback throughout his nine-year career but he will be switching to free safety. He has taken the lion’s share of reps in the back of the secondary and seems to be a staple in the defense.

Green certainly has the tools to be a solid cornerback. His size (6-foot-2, 211 pounds) and speed (4.3 40-yard dash) make him an ideal cornerback physically but he will need to work on his technique if he’s to be used as a press-man corner.

The Colts would likely want to get some reps under Green’s belt before they throw him into the fire but defensive coordinator Ted Monachino revealed that could be as early as Saturday’s preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys.

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“Oh yeah, we would hope. If there is a chance for him to get in there in a situation where we feel like he can hold up, we wouldn’t be afraid to put him in,” said Monachino on Wednesday. “It is still the preseason and we are still scratching around trying to find the best combination.”

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It is still the early stages of this process so the Colts are still trying to figure if this move can even work but with the help of Butler and some quick development, Green’s switch to cornerback could be intriguing.